Pink Elephants
by Xaphrin
Summary: Beast Boy never guessed that he would have to play nurse to Raven after she spent one night out with the rest of the team...
1. On Parade

**Pink Elephants**

_On Parade_

)O(

Beast Boy stood at the kitchen counter, randomly flipping through a comic book as the microwave hummed loudly in the background. Across the living room the pause screen to his favorite game was filling the television, playing vague, half-whimsical music in the background as he waited for his vegan burrito to finish heating up. He reached the end of the book and looked up, staring into the quiet, empty living room with a little bit of remorse and a little bit of happiness.

He had skipped out of the team party tonight, and he felt a little bad about not seeing the rest of the Titans, but at the same time it was kinda nice having the tower to himself. He wasn't fighting for the television, he wasn't trying to sneak out of Robin's mandatory training sessions, and he didn't have to get into the overused, boring arguments about his food with Cyborg. No, he just got to hang out by himself, and it was pretty relaxing. He could almost see why Raven chose to stay by herself a lot of the time.

A small smile crossed his lips and he stared back at his comic book cover, trying to focus on the cover art and keep himself from dwelling on her too much. Lately she really _had_ been trying to spend more time with the team, and he had to give her credit for that. He could only imagine how hard it had to be for her to come out of her shell.

It had been a slow growth for the past few months - one small inch at a time, but Raven _was_ trying to be more involved in the team. She was still a bit timid, reserved, and quiet, but there was something _different_ about her. It was as if her walls weren't so high and her defenses weren't so strong. One block at a time, she picked away her own armor until she felt more comfortable with being exposed to the team. Raven had even taken to spending time alone with him occasionally. It wasn't as if they had sleepovers where they painted each other's nails and gossiped about their favorite boy bands, but there was a real, strong connection growing between them.

And he kinda liked it.

The microwave dinged behind him and he picked his head up again, shaking the cobwebs from his thoughts as he grabbed the nuclear-hot burrito. Raven was a teammate and one of his closest friends, he really shouldn't be thinking about her like _that_. But, still... it was kind of a nice thought - thinking that they might be closer than just teammates. He chuckled at the idea, it took them long enough to be friends anyway.

He turned around to head back to the Gamestation and pick up where he left off, but a noise from the hallway made him whip around and stare at the door. A strange sound that reminded Beast Boy of hiccups mixed with giggling resounded from the other side of the door. He stopped and listened to the following silence, before a _THUNK_ made Beast Boy completely pause.

What in the world...

_Hiccup. _"I… I think I fell…"

_Raven_? Beast Boy moved to open the door, and stared down at her form, sitting in the middle of the hallway and holding her head. She rubbed a growing bruise on her forehead and slowly looked up at him, blushing as she offered a strange sort of half-hearted wave up into his face. Her eyes were wide and glassy, and her cheeks were flushed a deep crimson as she took shallow, long breaths, trying to calm a sudden fit of hiccups.

She smiled and let her hand fall into her lap. "Um… _hi_, Beast Boy… you sure have gotten tall in the past few hours!"

Was she… _drunk_? Oh my god. He had never seen Raven drunk in his entire life, let alone smiling and giggling like a little teenager. He balked and glanced around looking for another teammate to help him out. There was no one else to be found, which meant that she had wandered home by herself from the party. Who in the _world_ let her get this drunk _and_ come home by herself? Ugh. He was going to find his teammates and give them a piece of his mind… just as soon as he figured out what to _do_ with Raven. He sighed and continued to stare down at her, not exactly sure how to handle this situation.

"What in the world are you _doing_, Raven?"

"I think I fell…" She sniffed and tried to crawl to her feet, without much luck, unfortunately. She stumbled for a moment before falling back on her knees and holding her head in her hands as her body was consumed with another wave of giggles. "I can't find my feet… Oh! There they are! I found them, don't worry!"

"I wasn't." Beast Boy groaned and ran a hand over his face as he stared at the ceiling. So much for a quiet evening by himself. "Raven, how much have you had to drink tonight?"

Raven looked up at him, eyes a little glazed as she tried to think. "Yes."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "How much have you had to drink?" He repeated.

"At seven."

Another sigh escaped his lips and he leaned down to the floor, dragging her back up to her feet and helping her into the kitchen. She reeked of booze and her hair smelled faintly of cigarette smoke and sweat, like whatever bar her and the rest of the team had ended up in. How in the world had this happened? He led her onto a stool at the eat-in kitchen, and set her down, trying to diagnose how drunk she really was.

"When did you leave the party, Raven?"

"Five miles ago?" Her eyes flashed a moment of lucidity and she shook her head. "_Minutes_. I left five _minutes_ ago because… because I had to pee." She giggled and pushed at his shoulder, trying to put space between them. "But I couldn't find the bathroom, so I opened an interdimensional portal." Grinning, Raven tapped the side of her head and nodded. "Smart thinking, right?"

"Mm… smart thinking, I guess." He pressed his fingers to her neck and checked her pulse, before leaning down and looking into her eyes. She would be fine after a few hours, but the world would be spinning too fast in the morning for her. Beast Boy sighed and walked to the cupboard to pull out a few things for her.

"You know…" Raven just continued to giggle, and she stumbled off of the stool to chase after him across the kitchen. "Under my clothes, I'm completely naked."

Beast Boy jerked and looked over at Raven who was suddenly standing next to him as he poured water into a glass for her. She was teetering on her tip-toes, and leaning against the kitchen counter as she smiled into his face.

"Oh come on, Gar…." She leaned over his back as he moved through the kitchen, and pressed her lips to his ear. God, she smelled like the bottom of a rum bottle. Her fingers tightened in the back of his shirt and she pursed her lips. "You normally get so excited when I make stupid jokes like that."

"Raven… It's just not funny right now." Not when she was two sheets to the wind and about ready to topple over in a fit of giggles. He rubbed his hand over his face and groaned, pouring her a glass of ice water. "What _happened_, Raven? You normally just stick to drinking Coke. Plain, boring Coke. So, how in the world did you manage to get _so_ drunk?"

"Mmm… not sure." She tapped her lower lip with her fingers in thought as she stared up into the ceiling. "I mean, I _asked_ for just Coke. And, well... Speedy - or maybe Wally - kept getting my drinks. They did taste kinda funny, but I thought maybe I just wasn't paying attention..." Her eyes widened and sofa pillow in the living room exploded under the force of her shock. "Do you think they put something in it!"

Uh, _yeah_, he did.

"Rum, probably." He handed her the glass of water and guided her back to the stool, setting her down in front of him. "Three of these before I let you go to sleep. And I'm going to make you eat some saltines or you're going to get sick later. Okay?"

She nodded and smiled, her fingers wrapping around the glass. Beast Boy groaned as she struggled with the glass for a moment, nearly spilling the contents over herself and down her shirt. Usually _he_ was the one who needed her help after a team night out with their friends. Raven, while not always a hundred percent straight-laced, didn't usually get drunk because her healing powers kicked-in before the alcohol poisoned her system. To have her be this utterly belligerent meant that Speedy and Wally probably fed her a whole half-gallon of rum and let her go wild after that.

_ Great_. He sighed and rubbed his head again, trying to control the urge to swear in front of her. Tonight was going to be _so_ much fun for him, wasn't it?

"Jesus, I'm not even sure how you got _so drunk_. Stop fighting with the glass, Rae. You're doing more harm than good." He watched her fingers still struggling to hold the cup and sighed, taking it from her hands in annoyance. Was this what it was like to take care of _him_ drunk? If so, he should really apologize to their teammates more often. He sat next to her at the counter and looked into her eyes, raising the glass to her lips. "One swallow at a time. Okay?"

She nodded and smiled at him over the rim of the glass, her fingers reaching out to graze over his in a featherlight touch. Electricity sizzled wherever her skin touched his own and Beast Boy was unable to control his blush under her rapt attention to him. It was like both of their defenses were down and they were both staring at each other's raw souls - hers a little broken, his a little annoyed. He forced a polite smile and glanced over her shoulder, trying not to look into her eyes and dwell on the thought.

"Thank you," she muttered between swallows.

"Yeah, yeah." He brought the glass back to her lips and sighed. "I'm really going to kill both of them tomorrow morning, you know."

"Awe, don't be upset, Gar. It wasn't _really _ their fault..." She leaned forward, resting her hands on his knees as she pressed her face close to his. "And besides, for once in your life, you get to take care of me."

His anger softened and he was helpless to stop the chuckle from the bottom of his stomach. He ran his fingers through a slight knot in her hair and smiled as she leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering close for a moment. "I know, Rae." He made her take a few more gulps of water before continuing. "You probably like not having to play nurse for me anyway."

"No." She let him feed her more water, her eyes surprisingly honest. "I mean it's not fun always having to take care of you after a night out. But, I just like having you take care of me. It's kinda nice… knowing that you're paying attention to me."

Beast Boy blushed brightly and nearly dropped the water in his hands. A minute passed as he looked away, trying to hold on to his heart that threatened to beat out of his chest. Of course, she had to be _this drunk_ in order to say things like that. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, trying to hold onto the echo of her words for as long as he could. Well, that was part of having a crush on an empath - she was never going to let her guard down enough to let him in.

But, still…

He smiled as she continued to struggle with her water. Maybe this was an opening for him to get a little closer to her? To close that last remaining space between them? Or maybe it was just a moment for him to be just a friend to his teammate in need.

"Just shut up and drink your water." He shook his head and fought against another smile. He watched her for another few minutes, and when he was sure she could manage the glass on her own, he filled the glass again and popped a straw into the water.

"After you're done I'll put you to bed, okay?"

She nodded and happily took another sip at the water through her smile. A minute of silence passed between them, and Beast Boy took the opportunity to wander away and shut off the television and find her something simple to eat.

"Sometimes you have to admit defeat."

"Huh?" He turned back around and looked at her, eyes wide.

Oh. God.

Beast Boy just stared, letting his head fall into his hands as he tried his best not laugh hysterically at Raven. She was trying to win a battle against the rogue straw in her glass, her lips and tongue chasing it around as she desperately attempted to gulp down the water he had handed her.

He couldn't really be mad at her, mostly because that would just rile her up, and he wasn't looking to start a fight with her tonight. And… to be perfectly honest with himself, she was kinda cute when she let her guard down and was just _Raven_. Although he certainly wished that her guard didn't have to come down like _this_.

Raven whined and stared down into her glass, pouting. "Did the straw defeat me?"

Beast Boy snorted and reached across the kitchen island to hold the straw in place until she managed to wrap her mouth around it. She smiled again and her lips brushed against his fingers with the movement. Biting back a yelp, he pulled his hand back as if he'd been burned, eyes wide with surprise. Raven just smiled as she continued to sip on her water, keeping eye-contact with him as she continued to drain her glass.

Beast Boy chuckled and patted her on the head. "Finish that up, and I'll put you to bed, Rae."

Her eyes widened and she set the glass down with a _thunk_, using the counter to steady her wobbling stature. A second ticked by as she stared at him with that strange, blank expression, and then another smile split her lips again. "You know…I think I like it when you call me 'Rae'!"

Beast Boy blinked in surprise, coughing a little as his breath seemed to catch in his throat. "Really?"

"Uh-huh!"

Beast Boy smiled. Well, it was certainly a day for firsts.

)O(

_So, I started this hodge-podge of a project on tumblr and I've decided to turn it into something a little more substantial. It's nothing deep and really worth investing in, but I hope you enjoy it all the same. There'll be about four mini-chapters (roughly 2500 words each), and I'm hoping to get it all wrapped up by the end of October._

_Anyway… thanks for being awesome, friends! _


	2. In Vino Veritas

**Pink Elephants  
><strong>_In Vino Veritas_

)O(

"Raven…" Beast Boy stared at the ceiling and fought against a whine building in his throat, his patience already wearing thin. "You _can't _slither on the ground like a snake."

"Why not?"

He blinked. Good question. "It's bad for your knees."

"Whaaaa? Really?" She rolled over on her back and stared up at him, eyes growing wide. "Hey, how did you get so _tall_?"

She popped up into a sitting position, blinking into his face with her mouth hanging open in shock. Her hair and clothes were a mess after rolling around on her belly halfway down the hall, and even Beast Boy had to admit that she looked a little cute. Of course, she also looked utterly ridiculous as well.

She giggled up at him, folding her hands into her lap. "It's like magic, right?"

Beast Boy groaned and fought back a chuckle. "Sure, Rae… like magic. Now, come on, let's get you into bed."

He bent down and wrapped one arm around her waist, hauling her back onto her shaky, unreliable feet before setting her down. She teetered for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck and struggling to keep herself upright. Grinning into his face, she wound herself tightly around him and pulled her body flush against his own. He swallowed a bubble of surprise in his throat, but knew better than to put space between them. After all, he was probably going to be her crutch all the way back to her room.

"Thanks!" She hiccuped. "I thought I was going to be a snake forever!"

Beast Boy snorted and was unable to squash his smile. He brushed the hair out of her eyes and shook his head, laughing low in his throat. "Nope, Rae. I wouldn't let that happen."

She giggled again and buried her face into his neck. "My hero!"

Beast Boy caught the faint, familiar scent of jasmine clinging to her skin, mingling with the overpowering smell of rum and sweat. It was strange and foreign, but something about it smelled infinitely of _her._ He blushed and looked away, trying to guide her erratic footsteps down the hall to her room without tripping over either of their feet. It was certainly not an easy task - especially since Raven had suddenly decided she was a superhero ballerina who could "pirouette like a princess".

Good God, what had he gotten himself into?

When Beast Boy finally opened her door, Raven fell face-first into her bed, limbs flailing out like a rag doll as her comforter practically swallowed her whole. She lay there for a moment and full-on _giggled_ into the mattress as if the whole thing were a very funny joke. If Beast Boy hadn't been there to witness this whole ridiculous display, he would have never believed it happened. Not in a million years did he ever think Raven could be _this silly_.

"Rae…" He sighed and moved beside her on the bed, pulling her back into a sitting position. "Come on and sit up. You need to-" He was cut short as her arms wrapped around his neck, another wave of giggles continuing to erupt from behind her lips. She pulled him down next to her on the bed, her whole body shaking with laughter, and her arms wound around his bicep.

"I… I get it! A talking muffin!" Raven laughed hysterically, shaking against his frame as her fingers tangled in his hair. She turned his head to look at her and grinned. "It's funny!" Snorting, she buried her face into his shoulder. "It's funny because _muffins can't talk_!"

"Jeez, Rae…" He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and groaned, trying not to get upset with her. It really wasn't her fault that she was this drunk, although he _was_ going to punch Speedy in the mouth for being so stupidly reckless with her drinks. "Come on, I told you that joke like six days ago. And it's _bad_. Even I think it's bad."

"No no no. It's _so funny_! I think it's funny!" She pulled back and tried to cover her mouth to hide her laughter, but ended up snorting again into her hand. Her eyes looked into his apologetically, as if she was really trying to keep a reign on her emotions but failing miserably. "I'm sorry, Gar. Really. I didn't mean for this to happen."

He shook his head. "I don't blame you, Rae. It's not your fault."

"But…" She sniffed and rubbed at her flushed cheeks. "You were supposed to enjoy tonight by yourself. You were looking forward to it, and I messed it up." She pouted and looked away from him, rolling onto her other side in embarrassment. "I really _am_ sorry, Gar."

Beast Boy laughed and tugged playfully at her hair. "Don't be sorry, Raven. It only confuses me."

Her shoulders shook with laughter and she rolled back onto her back, looking over at him with a smile. "You're mean."

"Because it's weird when you're sorry about stuff? Yeah. Because it _is_ weird when you're sorry about stuff." He sat up and looked down at her prone form with a smile. Something warm blossomed in the depths of his chest and he felt an unusual, overwhelming feeling of happiness wash over him. In all the years they had been teammates, their interactions had never been this comfortable or easy. It was nice, and he found he liked it a lot… it just _sucked_ that she had to be completely drunk to be this open with him.

He picked at the comforter, avoiding her stare. "You've never been sorry about anything in your entire life, Raven. Why start now?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Because I _am_ sorry...and anyway, you don't deserve the job of taking care of drunk me."

"It's not _really_ a job, Rae." He reached down and ruffled her hair, and she leaned into his touch, a content smile playing across her lips. Beast Boy pretended not to see it, and he pulled his hand back, avoiding her stare. "You're my friend, and I care about you. And I _really_ don't wanna clean up any bodily fluids from the carpet in any part of the tower, so I guess I better take care of you, huh?"

"Oh, ha-ha… you're so _funny_. I'm not that far gone." She hiccuped loudly and continued to giggle.

Beast Boy smirked and rolled his eyes. "Oh, forgive me for not understanding. I'll try to remember your levels of drunkness from here on out."

She stuck her tongue out at him and leaned back against her bed, watching him with a surprisingly intense stare. Beast Boy felt the mood around them change quickly from something easy and joking into something he couldn't name. It seemed thick and sticky, and it was entirely different than anything he had ever felt between them before. His heart fluttered against his chest like a bird in a cage, and he found himself slowly closing the space between them, inch by inch. Just a few more seconds and-

_Wait._ He needed to stop this.

Clamping his eyes shut, he pulled back and shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs from his thoughts. No, not like this. He wasn't going to take advantage of the situation or of her because she was _drunk_. He was better than that. Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck and stood up, staring down at her sprawled out against the bed. She blinked up as if surprised by the sudden distance between them, and shakily crawled into a sitting position.

"Is something wrong?" She pushed at her hair, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Did I upset you?"

"No…" He forced a smile and shook his head, taking another breath to calm his nerves. He needed to get himself out of this situation before he did something he might regret. "No, not at all, Rae. But, I think it's time we get you ready for bed. You're about to fall asleep in your clothes and on top of your covers."

She snorted and sat up on the edge of the bed, looking up into his face. "Oookay. I'll get into my..." Raven trailed off, blinking for a long moment. It was as if the moment of lucidity and seriousness seemed to melt right off her face and she began to giggle again. "Wait… what was I doing?"

"Getting ready for bed?" Beast Boy sighed and rolled his eyes, walking up to her on the edge of the bed. There was no way she was going to be able to take care of herself right now. No, for at least a few more minutes he was going to have to babysit her. Well, at least the night couldn't really get any worse with her. He tapped her bicep with his fingertips and looked down into her face. "C'mon. Arms up, Raven. I'm taking your shirt off now."

"Ooo… trying to undress me, BB?" She giggled again, offering him a coy wink and she leaned forward, teetering on the edge of her bed as her body seemed to forget its motor functions again. "You should have just asked nicely."

"I did, Rae." He poked her sides, watching as she twitched and giggled under the touch. "Now, arms up. I'm trying to get you ready for bed and I don't want this to take all night. I've got some very important video games to finish."

She laughed and pushed at his arm. "Important video games! Oh! Can I watch?"

He scoffed. "You hate watching me play games."

"But at least I'd get to be with you…"

Beast Boy felt color rise into his cheeks and he somehow managed to keep his feet on the ground underneath him. Could she be… no. He squashed his rogue thoughts quickly and shook his head. This was _Raven_ he was looking at, and Raven didn't get feelings for people. Maybe companionship and camaraderie, but that was about as close to real feelings as possible. He ignored the strange fluttering in his chest again and sighed.

"C'mon, Rae. I don't want to play this game anymore."

"But I thought you liked games?"

"Not like this." He patted her head and forced a smile. "Let's get you ready for bed."

"Okay…" She struggled against his touch for a moment, trying to prove that she could undress herself with out his assistance. It looked like she was trying to fight her way out of her t-shirt, and she was still somehow losing the battle. Beast Boy groaned in defeat and stood there, watching her try to prove him wrong, only to have her fall over onto the mattress and start giggling again. He rolled his eyes and pulled her back up into a sitting position, mumbling under his breath and he pulled her shirt off her.

"You're a hot mess, Raven."

"I know…" She looked up at him, a flash of remorse in her eyes. "I don't mean to be… I mean, you didn't call me 'Rae'. Did I upset you?"

"No. Of course not!" Guilt shot down his spine and he looked away, blushing. He didn't mean to upset her, but she really _was_ a hot mess. Beast Boy rubbed the back of his head and glanced back at her. He had no idea she liked the nickname that much. "I didn't mean it like that… I'm sorry."

She smiled and seemed satisfied with that apology at the moment. Breathing a sigh of relief, he tapped her nose teasingly, glad to have avoided a disaster of a situation. "But you are still getting ready for bed, Rae, so I'll turn around as you put on your pajamas." He started to turn around to give her privacy, but her hand closed on his wrist and tugged.

"But…" Hiccup. "I don't have anything to wear to bed, Gar." She sat there in her bra and jeans, and looked up at him, cheeks flushed from the booze and eyes wide and watery from her giggling. "I didn't do laundry yet… I was… I was going to do laundry tonight, but I don't think I can fly a spaceship, let alone use the laundry machine."

He snorted again. "No one asked you to fly a spaceship."

"But they _might_!"

"I think you're safe."

"Okay…" She trailed off before somehow managing to bring her focus back to his face. "But that still doesn't help me! I still don't have anything to wear to bed, and I can't sleep _naked_!"

Beast Boy blushed and stared down at her, trying not to focus on the soft, gentle curve of her breasts as they peeked over the edge of her utilitarian, black bra. He _really_ didn't need to be thinking about her body like that. Shaking his head, he brought his eyes up to meet her own and sighed. "Here." Without another thought, Beast Boy pulled his shirt off over his head and handed it to her. "You can sleep in this."

"Really!" Her eyes went wide with excitement and she snatched it from his hands as if he was just teasing her with it. She immediately brought it to her nose and breathed deep, taking in the scent of him. Raven let out a breath of contentment and smiled up at him as she held his shirt to her chest. "It still smells like you… like…" She took another breath into the fabric. "Old Spice and pine."

He blushed again and pulled back. What in the world did _that_ mean? "Rae…"

Raven just giggled again and started to take off her bra, completely ignoring the fact that she was _not alone_ in her room.

"Jesus Christ!" He whipped around before she exposed herself and listened as she struggled out of the rest of her clothing and into his t-shirt. Eventually the struggling stopped, and he cautiously looked over his shoulder to find her completely passed out on the top of her blankets. One hand was buried in her hair while the other one clutched tightly onto his shirt as if it was a prized possession. Beast Boy sighed and fought back a jolt of laughter. Against all odds, Raven really was… _cute_. Absolutely, freaking adorable. But, it was probably in his best interests to _not_ tell her that.

With a smile spreading across his lips, he pulled off her jeans, which had bunched up around her ankles, and then pulled her body under the heavy, black comforter. He stood there and stared at her a second, brushing her hair back from her forehead. In spite of all the curve balls she had thrown at him all night, it was almost nice to play nurse to her. He didn't mind it at all really.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead as he pulled the blankets up over her shoulder. "G'night, Rae."

His response was a muffled noise that sounded like 'you too'. Shaking his head, he walked out the door, knowing she was probably going to be nursing one _hell_ of a hangover tomorrow. Well, at least she got a good night's sleep - that was one thing at least.


	3. Hungover

**Pink Elephants  
><strong>Hungover

)O(

_thump. _

What was...

_ Thump. _

What was _that_?

_ THUMP._

Oh. Her _head_. Her brain was currently trying to crawl out of her eyes and nose, and leak gray matter all over her pillow. _That_'s what that noise was.

Raven whined and rolled over onto her back, staring up at the slanted light trickling in from a crack between her curtains. Outside, she could hear the sounds of commerce in the bay, the horns and howls from boats as they passed, the wind as it pushed against the clear, blue waters of the bay, and each noise sent another jab of hot needles poking into her ears.

What in the world _happened_ last night? And how had she woken up with a hangover that practically vibrated her entire body with a pain she didn't even have words to _describe_? Her entire body felt like it was going to collapse in on herself, and she wasn't even sure if she cared that it did. No, she was far more concerned with not emptying the contents of her stomach all over the floor.

She sat up and cradled her head in her hands, groaning as she smelled the faint odor of rum and Diet Coke on her breath. "What did I _do_ last night?"

"That is a _very_ good question."

A snort from her doorway made her look up, and she stared into Beast Boy's sympathetic smile. Raven had flashes of his arm around her shoulders, trying to guide her rag-doll of a body back to her room. Oh no… he hadn't seen her _drunk_, had he? But the lift to his eyebrows told her the truth: he had _absolutely_ seen Raven at her worst - whatever that happened to be last night.

A blush exploded on her cheeks as she continued to stare at him. Oh, _Azar_…

"I brought you some engine sludge for the headache, Rae." He walked into the room, a mug of steaming, pitch-black coffee gripped in between his hands. "Two packets of sugar and a shot of caramel syrup. Your favorite."

He remembered how she liked her coffee? Raven felt her blush darken as she looked up into his bright green eyes and smelled the heady, earthy scent infiltrating her senses. "Um…. thank you, Gar. I... " She trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Don't worry about it." He waved her off. "It's just coffee… and I don't even know if I made it all that well. I just figured after the night you had last night, you would probably need a pick-me-up anyway." He handed her the mug in his hands and sat next to her on the edge of her bed, leaning his forearms on his knees as he looked over at her. His lips twitched as if he was fighting a smirk. "You were pretty rough there for a while."

Raven bit back another whine and tried to prod at him with her powers, but her mind was so heavy and so hazy, she wasn't even really sure what she was looking for. Even more than that, did she really _want_ to know what happened to her? Especially if it meant that she would have to face the truth: that she _undoubtedly _damaged her image in his eyes forever. _Great_. Sighing, she pulled her energy back into her body and took a long sip of the extra strong coffee.

A minute passed between them in silence, and she let the caffeine sink into her bones, relishing in its restorative powers. Her stomach still churned and her brain still felt like it was trying to perform a drum solo just for her, but the cobwebs were cleared through her thoughts, and she didn't feel like crying in pain every ten seconds. It wasn't much, but it was _something_.

She tapped her fingers on the white porcelain and stared down into her mug. "Did I… did I embarrass myself last night?"

He looked into her face and smiled, his stare transforming into something playful. "Nah, not really. I mean, I have some really great stories and hoards of blackmail for the rest of your life… but I honestly think I'm the only one." Beast Boy paused for a moment, thinking. "At least I assume so, you might want to check with the others to be sure."

"What… what did I do?" Raven gave a nervous swallow, hoping her mouth hadn't run away from her last night… had she told him _that_? Those feelings she kept so close to her heart?

"Well…" He leaned back a little and chuckled as he pretended to be pensive for a moment. "You may or may not have _slithered_ through the hallways like a snake, laughed at most of my jokes - including a pretty _awful_ one from last week, told me that you liked it when I called you 'Rae'... oh!" He laughed and stared over at her. "And you almost flashed me your boobs."

Raven balked and nearly dropped the mug of coffee in her hands. She _what_?

"Luckily I turned around in just enough time to give you privacy." He laughed and reached out to pat her head in a teasing gesture, and Raven vaguely wondered when his hands had gotten so _big_. Beast Boy smiled and pulled away from her. "So, fortunately there are still mysteries and boundaries between us."

"I… I can't believe that I..."

"You were pretty far-gone, Raven." The sound of his voice turned serious and he stared down into his hands, chewing on his lower lip in thought. "I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty pissed at Wally and Roy for the stunt they pulled. They should have been more careful… and the others should have been looking out for you too. Where was Robin anyway? Cy?"

"They had dates, Gar… of course they weren't looking out for me." Raven took another sip of her coffee and looked away. "And, it wasn't entirely their fault either, Gar. I should have known when to stop, and I didn't. I knew I was drinking rum, I'm not stupid, I could taste it in the drink. So, no one's really at fault, it was just a mistake. I learned from it and I'll now know _not_ to trust those two idiots ever again."

Beast Boy looked unconvinced, but he let the subject drop, and Raven appreciated it. She really didn't want him babying her like this, knowing that he had to take care of her when she was belligerent drunk was bad enough.

"Urgh…" Raven felt embarrassment color her cheeks again, and she brought the coffee to her lips as if to drown the last few of her pains with it. What in the world did she _do_ last night? Pretending to be a snake? Laughing at his joke? _Showing her boobs? _She must have been more than a handful, that was for certain. How was she _ever _going to make it up to Beast Boy? Raven cast a sideways glance at him and sighed. "So, what do I owe you?"

He jerked in surprise and blinked as he tried to find words to respond to her. "Owe me… _what_ exactly? I didn't really do anything special. I'm just a friend helping out another friend, Raven, that's all."

"I'm sure I made a fool of myself… I can only imagine that translates to upsetting you as well." Raven sighed and rested her mug of coffee on her knees, letting a moment of silence pass easily between them. "I'm sorry for whatever I did or said…"

"Whatever you did...? Awe, come on..." He snorted and reached out to pat her head again, this time trailing his fingertips over the side of her face before pulling away.

There was a soft, gentle warmth in his touch and Raven found herself wanting to lean into it and into him. The heat radiating from his body seemed to ease the pounding in her head, and she fought against the sudden, insatiable urge to curl into a ball and lay her head in his lap, trying to reach closer to his own special, warmth. A blush darkened her cheeks and she looked away, realizing that not only had she been daydreaming about Beast Boy (and his… er… _warmth_), but he had been talking to her the entire time. She needed to _focus_.

"...I mean it, Rae, you didn't _do_ anything. I know you think you were probably rude or mean to me, but you weren't. I mean, really, you were just kinda silly and a little bit random, but…" He rubbed the back of his head and looked away, avoiding her curious stare. "But it was kinda cute."

Raven doubled over and stared even deeper into her coffee, eyes wide underneath the curtain of her hair. _Cute_? He called her cute? She was _not_ cute. She was anything _but_ cute. She was practically the _opposite _of cute, and he should know that. She looked over at him again, a little shocked to still see that teasing grin on his face, eyes practically shining. She frowned and picked herself up, trying to not look into his face.

"I'm not cute, Beast Boy."

"Sure you are, Rae." He stood up and turned around to look at her, leaning back on his heels and looking entirely too smug. "Especially when you're sleeping in my clothes."

In… his… _clothes_?

She looked from Beast Boy's face to the mug in her hands, staring down at the red t-shirt with a faded band name on it. His clothes. She was sleeping in his clothes. Even more than that, she was sleeping in his clothes that he had _already worn_. Clothes that were soaked with his scent and his warmth. Clothes that had been plucked from his body in front of her, and she crawled into them without a moment's hesitation. Swallowing hard, she stared down into her lap, trying desperately not to think about the rather _hazy_ memory of undressing in front of him last night, and yet trying hold onto the faded memory of his bare chest at the same time.

"I…" She trailed off again, unable to remember what she wanted to say.

"I'm just teasing, Rae… I mean, not about the cute part. You are pretty cute."

Oh, Azar. Why was this happening to her _now_? She buried her fingers into the folds of his shirt, hanging off her body. She just needed something to cling to for a moment, something that reminded her that this was not a dream. She scrunched her eyes shut, counted to three, and opened them again.

No, this was real.

This was _real_.

Raven felt her heart flutter against her ribs, and she brought her coffee back to her mouth, trying to focus on the bittersweet taste of it sliding over her tongue. She needed to think about anything other than the fact that _Beast Boy_ had told her she was cute... and just maybe... she secretly liked hearing it from him.

"Anyway…" He patted her head again and made his way to the door. "I'm cooking you some eggs this morning, Rae, because you need to eat a greasy breakfast and _stat_. So, get up and get around, because they'll be ready in about fifteen."

She lifted his eyes, not sure how to tell him that-

He laughed at her pleading expression. "Don't worry, I'll make real eggs. Just get ready, okay?"

"O-okay."

His hand rested on the door. "And you can keep my shirt. You know... if you want."

Raven's blush darkened and she couldn't do anything more than nod, her embarrassment mingling with a strange sense of glee that felt completely foreign to her. After a moment she lifted her eyes to say thank you, but he had already left.

Silence swirled around her as she pulled at his shirt on her body, wondering how in the world she was going to repay his kindness.

…

…

He really thought she was cute?


	4. Good Morning

**Pink Elephants  
><strong>Good Morning

Raven picked at her food, feeling her stomach toss and turn with every bite. It really wasn't as if the food was bad. No - the exact opposite, actually. Beast Boy, as much as she _hated_ to admit it, was actually really talented in the kitchen. He knew exactly how to cook everything perfectly - meat or not - and Raven couldn't help but be a little jealous as she remembered her one excursion into cooking an actual breakfast. Horrifically burned pancakes were not something she wanted to remember… at all.

"Better?"

Jerking out of her thoughts, she looked up into Beast Boy's green eyes and blushed, shaking her head. "Sorry, Gar… I'm just kind of…"

"A hungover mess?" He laughed and stood up, patting her on the head as if she were a child again.

Her heart fluttered against her ribs again and she fidgeted under the weight of his touch, relishing in the warmth before he pulled away, taking her plate and dropping it in the sink. Raven watched him carefully, trying to understand the emotions coursing through her body in this moment. She was practically shaking, and not all of it was from the hangover.

Raven looked down into her hands and tried to piece together her thoughts into something she understood, but nothing was making sense. What in the world was _with her_? He was her best friend, impossibly close, and never once had she entertained the idea that he would make her feel like this.

Except he did.

And it was happening more frequently than she ever imagined.

"You need a nap."

Raven jerked and looked up at him, eyes wide. "I just got up."

"Doesn't matter." He plopped another cup of coffee in front of her and two aspirin. "Take those and drink that, and then we'll go sit on the sofa together. Okay?"

Raven downed the aspirin and took another gulp of coffee, the caffeine starting to course through her veins like a life-saving drug. The last of the cobwebs were finally clearing from her vision, but she still felt weak and shaky, and not at all like herself. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked up at him as he cleared away the rest of the dishes. "Why wouldn't it matter?"

"I bet," he began with a smile, "that if I put on your favorite movie, dim the lights, and wrap you in a blanket, you'll pass out in fifteen minutes - twenty tops." He leaned against the counter and looked at her with a sympathetic expression. "I've been there, Raven. I know what this feels like and what your body wants to do. And even though you slept a full ten hours, you're about two seconds from passing out again. Right?"

She scowled. "I hate it when you're right."

"I'm right _only_ because I've dealt with this crap before. It's not fun… but at least you have someone helping you. I… wasn't so lucky." He laughed and walked up next to her, offering his hand. "Except those few times you managed to _not_ kill me. Little nurse Raven."

"Don't call me that," Raven said as she cautiously slid her fingers in between his own and let him pull her to her feet.

She teetered for a moment, but he wrapped his broad hands around her shoulders and steadied her feet. He was so close to her, close enough that she could still smell the coffee on his breath and the faint scent of his shampoo. There was something comforting about it, something that made her feel as though she were _home_. Her eyes flicked up to his and he just smiled, seemingly completely unaware of the proximity between them.

Raven fought against the urge to chew on her lower lip and give away her thoughts. How in the world could he be so _calm_ about this? Didn't he at least hear her heart or see her blush? She was practically a _mess_ in front of him, and he was so damn collected. When in the world did _that_ happen?

"Come on, Rae. On the sofa. I'll grab you a blanket and some more water, 'Kay?" He guided her to the living room, and set her down on the cushions carefully, as if she were something breakable. With a smile and another pat to her head, he walked out of the living room to go and find a blanket to wrap her in.

Raven shivered, but she highly doubted it was from the cold. No, it was from something else entirely. Running her fingers over the rim of her glass, she stared ahead into the blank TV, trying to piece together precisely what was going on between them. It wasn't _uncommon_ for Beast Boy to care about her, he actually cared a great deal about all the teammates, even going as far as making Starfire warm mustard soup when she was sick. But, it was _unusual_ for him to dote on Raven for as long as he had. Not that it was unwanted. No, it was very much wanted, and equally appreciated.

"Here!" Beast Boy walked back into the room with a pillow and blanket from his bed, a grin splitting his lips from ear to ear. "This should keep you cozy for a little bit." He wrapped Raven up tightly, nearly swaddling her as if she were a small child. When he had finished creating a fluffy, gray cocoon, he tucked the pillow under her head and smiled down at his handiwork.

"Feel better?"

Actually, she did. Raven looked up at him, laughter threatening to spill from between her lips. Pressing her lips in a thin line to keep from practically giggling up at him (_giggling_? _Her_? What god had she pissed off that she now had the unwanted urge to _giggle_?), she poked a single arm out of the blanket and wrapped it around Beast Boy's fingers as he began walking away. "Thank you. You don't _really_ have to do this, you know."

"I know." He shrugged and smiled down at her, brushing a few strands of hair out of her eyes. With a small chuckle, he tweaked her nose and moved toward the TV again. "And it's not a problem, Rae. You've put up with way worse from me."

That was true. But it didn't justify her actions either.

Raven stared at the back of his head as he flicked through movies, obviously looking for one in particular, and felt a sigh rise up into her chest. She really didn't deserve a friend like him, even after all the years of growing closer, they still fought occasionally, but there was always a moment where they realized they were both being ridiculous and they gave into each other. It was a relationship of push and pull, but sometimes they both realized that it was fruitless… and then there were moments like this.

Beast Boy moved back toward the sofa, remote in hand.

"Can I lay on you?"

Beast Boy paled.

Raven bit back a surprised gasp, trying not to let the humiliation show on her face. Had she _really_ just asked him that? Closing her eyes, she turned away and fidgeted underneath the warmth of his blanket. "I mean… you're warm and… well… you make the headache not so bad." Her stare flicked back to his own before she pulled the blanket up to her nose. "But I understand if you don't want to. I mean-"

"Sure," he cut her rambling off and picked up her head and shoulders gently, pushing her into a sitting position for a moment as he plopped down on the sofa. Raven watched him for a long moment as he adjusted the pillow over his left side and lap, and then patted the softness in invitation. "Here. I mean… if I help the headache, I don't mind so much…" Pause. "As long as it won't make you uncomfortable for anything," he added as an afterthought. "I don't want you to feel awkward."

"N-no. I…" Raven desperately searched for words, but didn't find any words and she just buried herself into the pillow, closing her eyes and pulling the blanket up over her shoulders. Closing her eyes, she breathed deep, smelling his scent mingling with the breakfast he had cooked, and something inside her relaxed. It was like she was drowning in him, wrapped up in his honest care and concern, and she didn't mind not having air. No, she didn't mind it one bit.

His fingertips trailed over the side of her face, brushing a few strands of hair back from her eyes, and Raven looked up to find him smiling down at her.

"You have a headache right… _here_." With that he pressed against her temple and began rubbing slow circles against her. Raven practically moaned at the relief he offered her, and her eyes fluttered closed again as she pressed her shoulder up against his thigh, unconsciously trying to get closer to him.

"That… feels _wonderful_."

He chuckled. "I could _literally_ see the vein throbbing through your skin, Raven."

"I'm sure." She groaned as he pressed a little harder and brought his other hand to the back of her neck, rubbing a kink out near her shoulder. It was heaven, and she was happy to lay here forever, his warmth surrounding her and his hands offering relief she never thought possible. "I never realized that a headache could hurt _this bad_."

"Well, now you know what it felt like all those times you took care of me."

"Remind me to be nicer next time you have a hangover." She brought one hand up and patted his knee, offering some kind of solidarity in her pain. "I now know _exactly_ what kind of pain you're going through. It's like there's a bunch of dwarves mining inside my head and behind my eyes."

Beast Boy laughed and she felt him lean over her, looking into her closed eyes. "I'll hold you to that, you know."

"It's worth it to have you keep touching me. Uugh… _right there_." Raven's voice dropped an octave and she pushed harder against the pillow propped up against him. His fingers faltered for a moment, and Raven suddenly realized both _what_ and _how_ she said it. Blushing, she slowly opened her eyes and stole a peek at his darkened face. How in the world had she… Azar, she could be so _stupid_ sometimes.

"I… that's fine, Gar. I'm sorry…"

His fingers stopped and the pain began to return, but she didn't mind it so much anymore.

Smiling through his embarrassment, Beast Boy rested his arm down the length of her body, rubbing her side with slow, careful circles. He patted her hip and pulled the hair off her neck. "Enough talking, Rae. Just close your eyes and rest, okay?" He pointed to the TV. "I even put in your favorite movie for you to fall asleep to."

Raven looked up at him and shifted. "Why are you so good to me?"

He smiled a genuine smile and leaned back into the sofa cushions. "Because, inspite of your extra-hard exterior, you're actually pretty good to me, Rae. And besides… you deserve to be taken care of after all the times you dealt with me, so…" he trailed off and pressed play on the remote. "So, just rest for now," he finished with a chuckle.

"Thanks, Gar."

"Of course." With that he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her throbbing temple. "Now rest."

Raven could hear her heart pounding in her ears, and she turned to look up at him, expecting to see him apologizing for kissing her. He was blushing, but there was nothing that indicated that his actions were accidental. A minute of shocked silence passed, and Raven felt as if the world was halting below her. Gathering what courage she could, she reached out and wrapped her hands around his arm on her side and pulled his hand to her lips.

And then she kissed his palm.

He looked down at her, but Raven couldn't meet his eyes, and she just pulled the covers over her shoulder, staring at the television screen with intent.

"Thank you."

"A- anytime, Rae."

Raven began to relax as her body finally succumbed to the shaking and warmth, exhausted from fighting the poison in her system. The hand on Beast Boy's knee eased up his thigh and rested under the pillow. Long, quiet minutes passed as the movie played on in the background, and then she heard Beast Boy start to talk again, his voice just a little soft and shaky. "Let's do this again sometime."

Raven's eyes were starting to feel heavy and she nodded, a small smile playing against her lips at the suggestion. "Except without the hangover."

"Yeah…" He laughed and rubbed her side again, his touch warm and comforting. "Yeah, without that."

"Agreed…" Raven sighed, the sleep finally taking over the last bits of her consciousness. "And maybe more kissing."

)O(

_Sorry this took so long to complete. I was easily distracted. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for being AWESOME, friends. _


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